Pizza. New York City is known for its excellent quality pizza, it is the hub for American pizza, thanks to an Italian immigrant by the name of Lombardi arriving in what is now Little Italy in lower Manhattan last century. I, a native New Yorker, grew up on this Italian meal of peasants. Today everyone eats pizza. It's no longer just for worker class of bygone era.
Yet there is this new phenomenon in New York; the dollar pizzeria. It has saved me from hunger on countless occasions. Two Bros on St. Marks is my favorite of all the dollar pizza locations I've frequented. I've had dollar pizza all over the city; though most of these locations exist only in Manhattan. Conversely, I discovered a new Two Bros in Brooklyn near LIU on Flatbush Avenue, downtown Brooklyn. I've only passed it while driving for work but I haven't yet had the opportunity to go in. Two Bros Pizza stands out as a clear chain amid the other dollar pizza places, which seem to be a nameless franchise itself and run by Middle Eastern transplants; possibly Pakistani (I remember reading an article in Dining Out about 99cent pizza. The article featured a Pakistani gentlemen charged with starting the phenomenon). The only unifying characteristics of their chain are the workers (which teeters on the verge of stereotyping but then again the influx of Middle Easterners making my NY pizza is pretty new to me) the other is the sign which simply reads 99 cent Pizza. There's a clear difference between the two chains. Two Bros Pizza at my favored location, is often inconsistent in their quality, I find it's best to head there just after lunch--12.15pm or so. Otherwise you might get a cold soggy slice that seems to be void of all love and spits in the face of a good slice of pizza, that and you might've missed the bulk of their lunch crowd. Yet when they do it right it's good, really good; as it should be. Pizza is a comfort food and I feel like I've seen an old friend when those large triangles laid on two white paper plates arrive. The correct ratio of sauce to cheese 1:1.5,. The sauce of course not being too thick or watered down but offering the perfect amount of tart, zest, and sweetness. The quality of cheese is of a quality I can not name, however would merge with its sauce counterpart offering it's melty mild hint of cream and peppercorn. The crust beneath would not be right, could not claim to be a New York pizza if it were not firm and crunchy but foldable; you must fold your pizza and eat with your hands (eh-hem Donald Trump). The end crust--once a part of the pizza anatomy I did not favor but now will eat yours if the pizza was good and you dare throw it away--must follow suit in the form and texture of a true New York slice, it must be flaky, soft, a little doughy and fucking delicious. When Two Bros does it right, their pizza is on par with my standards. Done well, it doesn't amaze me or cause me to feel as though I just had sex, or found twenty dollars on the ground; I accept it. Pizza done right should not disappoint. Pizza done right should make me want that third slice even though I'm satisfied, especially pizza from my home city. Two Bros has been around for a while, I remember getting slices from them years ago. Back then a slice cost the same as their "special", two slices and a can of soda for two seventy-five ($2.75). Perhaps the fact that I spend less than five dollars on two slices and a soda makes it taste so good.
The nameless Pakistani chain of which I have visited a few of their locations; Hell's Kitchen, Murray Hill, and Greenwich Village are consistent. They are also my first exposure to dollar pizza. This is not New York pizza for a dollar, it's just dollar pizza. It is the equivalent to high school lunch but done well by those standards. The crust is done right, in a sense. It's crunchy and foldable but almost seems pre-made, mass produced, store bought from Jetro (a food wholesale company much like Costco for fiscally impaired eateries and bodegas). The sauce and cheese are okay, it's pizza; not the atrocity I'm trying so hard not to describe. But it ain't right. It's not New York pizza, it's just dollar pizza. No matter what time you head to any of these locations you'll get the same medium sized (they're not even as large as a Two Bros slice on a bad day or well after 12.15pm), three angled portion of bread and cheese. I still go to them from time to time when hunger overloads all sense of logic. Though the 99cent Pizza chain is my introduction to cheap pizza. I've come to them groveling on hand and knee with seven quarters, two dimes and a nickel, grateful to get some food. I have a sick loyalty to them. I respect their consistency and I know what I'm getting. The 99cent pizza place is like the boring girlfriend. Predictable, same positions during sex, same activities on a Friday night but no surprises. Two Bros is like the hot fling. You might come over and she's wearing a martini glass and a top hat, though sometimes stand you up on Saturday dinner plans.
I like the concept of dollar pizza. It's the price it should be. When I have a good slice or two, like I did nearly twelve hours ago today, I want to think about old memories where pizza is always present as a loyal friend. Pizza was there when my older brother took me to the movies on hot summer Saturdays, way back in the 80's. Pizza lay on the table--back when I was sixteen--while the first girl I ever said those three words to dabbed its surface with three napkins to soak up it's oily goodness; when Lori Vasquez was gone pizza remained. Pizza even embarrassed me when in the fifth grade I ate too much of it at a classmates birthday party in Forest Hills Queens. No one wanted to use the restroom after me and the girl I had a crush on (who's birthday the party was in honor of) giggled amongst friends in the hallway covering her nose and mouth asking through her fingers "what did you do?" Of course I denied it was me that offended. Now good pizza is here for me when all I have is a dollar. Maybe Pizza is for the peasants once again.
Yet there is this new phenomenon in New York; the dollar pizzeria. It has saved me from hunger on countless occasions. Two Bros on St. Marks is my favorite of all the dollar pizza locations I've frequented. I've had dollar pizza all over the city; though most of these locations exist only in Manhattan. Conversely, I discovered a new Two Bros in Brooklyn near LIU on Flatbush Avenue, downtown Brooklyn. I've only passed it while driving for work but I haven't yet had the opportunity to go in. Two Bros Pizza stands out as a clear chain amid the other dollar pizza places, which seem to be a nameless franchise itself and run by Middle Eastern transplants; possibly Pakistani (I remember reading an article in Dining Out about 99cent pizza. The article featured a Pakistani gentlemen charged with starting the phenomenon). The only unifying characteristics of their chain are the workers (which teeters on the verge of stereotyping but then again the influx of Middle Easterners making my NY pizza is pretty new to me) the other is the sign which simply reads 99 cent Pizza. There's a clear difference between the two chains. Two Bros Pizza at my favored location, is often inconsistent in their quality, I find it's best to head there just after lunch--12.15pm or so. Otherwise you might get a cold soggy slice that seems to be void of all love and spits in the face of a good slice of pizza, that and you might've missed the bulk of their lunch crowd. Yet when they do it right it's good, really good; as it should be. Pizza is a comfort food and I feel like I've seen an old friend when those large triangles laid on two white paper plates arrive. The correct ratio of sauce to cheese 1:1.5,. The sauce of course not being too thick or watered down but offering the perfect amount of tart, zest, and sweetness. The quality of cheese is of a quality I can not name, however would merge with its sauce counterpart offering it's melty mild hint of cream and peppercorn. The crust beneath would not be right, could not claim to be a New York pizza if it were not firm and crunchy but foldable; you must fold your pizza and eat with your hands (eh-hem Donald Trump). The end crust--once a part of the pizza anatomy I did not favor but now will eat yours if the pizza was good and you dare throw it away--must follow suit in the form and texture of a true New York slice, it must be flaky, soft, a little doughy and fucking delicious. When Two Bros does it right, their pizza is on par with my standards. Done well, it doesn't amaze me or cause me to feel as though I just had sex, or found twenty dollars on the ground; I accept it. Pizza done right should not disappoint. Pizza done right should make me want that third slice even though I'm satisfied, especially pizza from my home city. Two Bros has been around for a while, I remember getting slices from them years ago. Back then a slice cost the same as their "special", two slices and a can of soda for two seventy-five ($2.75). Perhaps the fact that I spend less than five dollars on two slices and a soda makes it taste so good.
The nameless Pakistani chain of which I have visited a few of their locations; Hell's Kitchen, Murray Hill, and Greenwich Village are consistent. They are also my first exposure to dollar pizza. This is not New York pizza for a dollar, it's just dollar pizza. It is the equivalent to high school lunch but done well by those standards. The crust is done right, in a sense. It's crunchy and foldable but almost seems pre-made, mass produced, store bought from Jetro (a food wholesale company much like Costco for fiscally impaired eateries and bodegas). The sauce and cheese are okay, it's pizza; not the atrocity I'm trying so hard not to describe. But it ain't right. It's not New York pizza, it's just dollar pizza. No matter what time you head to any of these locations you'll get the same medium sized (they're not even as large as a Two Bros slice on a bad day or well after 12.15pm), three angled portion of bread and cheese. I still go to them from time to time when hunger overloads all sense of logic. Though the 99cent Pizza chain is my introduction to cheap pizza. I've come to them groveling on hand and knee with seven quarters, two dimes and a nickel, grateful to get some food. I have a sick loyalty to them. I respect their consistency and I know what I'm getting. The 99cent pizza place is like the boring girlfriend. Predictable, same positions during sex, same activities on a Friday night but no surprises. Two Bros is like the hot fling. You might come over and she's wearing a martini glass and a top hat, though sometimes stand you up on Saturday dinner plans.
I like the concept of dollar pizza. It's the price it should be. When I have a good slice or two, like I did nearly twelve hours ago today, I want to think about old memories where pizza is always present as a loyal friend. Pizza was there when my older brother took me to the movies on hot summer Saturdays, way back in the 80's. Pizza lay on the table--back when I was sixteen--while the first girl I ever said those three words to dabbed its surface with three napkins to soak up it's oily goodness; when Lori Vasquez was gone pizza remained. Pizza even embarrassed me when in the fifth grade I ate too much of it at a classmates birthday party in Forest Hills Queens. No one wanted to use the restroom after me and the girl I had a crush on (who's birthday the party was in honor of) giggled amongst friends in the hallway covering her nose and mouth asking through her fingers "what did you do?" Of course I denied it was me that offended. Now good pizza is here for me when all I have is a dollar. Maybe Pizza is for the peasants once again.
heartbaker:
I had pizza once when I was in NY and sadly I can't remember what place it was :/ I need to take another visit to NY cause there is a lot of food places there I've been wanting to try
jafreeman1:
Well if you're ever int the Bay Area, I highly recommend you try Pizza Orgasimca. They don't do slices like here in New York but Orgasmica is my favorite pizza place out west. Other than pizza there are loads of delicious and cool atmospheric places to eat inNYC; especially in Brooklyn.